


landscape

by blueandgold



Category: Naruto
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:16:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1881300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueandgold/pseuds/blueandgold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is something connecting them—it is coming through the bloodlines, cutting down the family tree, growing in the landscape between them. - [SasuSaku /31 drabbles, for SasuSaku Month]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the smell of fresh paint

Disclaimer : I do not own _Naruto_. 

  


"—What are you doing?" 

Sasuke glanced up. He looked at her, like: _what do_ you _think I'm doing?_ "Painting." 

Sakura looked at the crib—then, at her husband. Then, for good measure, at the crib, again. She placed a hand on her stomach—eight months pregnant, and it was _very_ much there. She could smell the fresh paint; she put a hand over her nose. "But… It's blue." She said, like that meant _everything_ . 

Sasuke looked at her, like: _Yes—and the sun is yellow, and your hair is pink._ "Yes." 

Shuffling from one foot to the other, Sakura frowned, and said: "But, I thought we agreed on green." 

Staring at her, Sasuke said: "And I thought we agreed on blue." 

"No, green." 

"Blue." 

" _Green_ , Sasuke," Sakura stamped her foot. "I mean— _you_ said green and _I_ said green, so, why is it…" she looked at the crib. " _Not_ green." 

"Because _you_ said green and _I_ said blue—and it's blue." Sasuke said. 

Sakura looked at him. " _Well_ ," she said, and she took a step forward—she tried to look as menacing as possible, waddling like a penguin. " _You_ listen here. _You_ said that Mikoto's crib would be white—and it was _white_. _You_ said Itachi's crib would be black—and it was _black. Now, I'm_ saying that _this_ baby's—" she pointed at her stomach. "—crib will be _green_. So?" She said. "It's going to be _green_." 

Sasuke looked at her, like: _Really?_

She looked back, like: _Really_. 

He sighed, standing. "I'll go to the store." 

Sakura smiled; on his way past, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks—!" He walked down the hall; she glanced back into the nursery, at the crib. She patted her stomach and grinned. 


	2. late

Disclaimer : I do not own _Naruto_. 

  


Sakura isn't dumb. She had one of the highest grades in Academy, (next to Sasuke-kun). She can make hand seals better than _anybody_ , knows lots of jutsus, and has the guidelines of the Ninja Rulebook memorized. She was able to answer _all_ of the questions on the first half of the chūnin exam, and she can set traps and trick people. Maybe she's not like Naruto or Sasuke-kun—she can't punch holes through walls. She can't beat S-rank nukenin. She can't fight jinchūriki. But Sakura's smart—and she knows that Sasuke-kun shouldn't be out this late. Not with a backpack, on the only road out of Konoha. 

He's in front of her—slouched, but confident. He's always like that. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?" 

She can't look at him. She'll cry. "This is the only road out of the Village." She whispers, and her chin shakes. 

"You should go back to bed." Sasuke-kun tells her, and walks right past her. One step, two— 

Sakura _has_ to say something. Anything. "—I was—always making you angry." Her voice shakes. "Do you…still remember?" 

He stops. 

She goes on, back she _has_ to—"When we first became genin…the day we formed a team together. The first time I talked to you alone, you got mad at me." And she repeats: "'Loneliness isn't something like being scolded by your parents can compare with.' And I asked: why did you just say that?" Sakura swallows. "And you said—'you annoy me'." And she tries to smile. 

It's a minute, and then: "I don't remember that," Sasuke-kun says. 

Sakura looks up at him. She lets out a laugh, but it's not pretty like it should be. "I thought so." She adds: "It was all so long ago…" And she goes on: "But, ever since that day. You—You and I…and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei… The four of us have gone on a lot of missions—it was hard, but…more than anything…" Sakura swallows. Her throat hurts. "—It made me happy." 

Sasuke-kun isn't moving—isn't looking at her. 

It's hard, but she goes on: "I know what happened to your family. But…a thing like revenge…it can never bring anyone happiness. It won't bring _you_ happiness." She swallows. "But I—" 

"—I'm not like the rest of you." Sasuke-kun cuts in. "We have different paths that we all have to walk. When the four of us were going on missions together…" He pauses. "I thought that that was my path. But after everything," he says, "I know that I am an avenger. That's why I'm alive." He adds, quietly: "I will never be like you and Naruto." 

Sakura's crying now—but she doesn't care. She just wants— "Sasuke-kun, do you plan on being alone again?" She takes a step forward. Her heart hurts so much she can't take it. "You were the one who taught me about the pain of loneliness. And right now, I feel that pain, too!" She cries. "Even though I have family and friends…" And her voice cracks. "Without you in my life, I… I'll still be lonely." 

Sasuke-kun is quiet. Then, he says: "These are all just steps we have to take on our own paths." 

Sakura is _really_ crying, now. "I—I love you! I love you so much I can't stand it!" And it's true—her heart hurts. "And if you and I were together, I swear you wouldn't regret it!" _Please,_ don't _go._ "You'll be happy everyday! We'll be happy together!" _Don't leave me alone._ "I'll do _anything_ for you! So—So _please,_ stay! I'm _begging_ you!" 

Sasuke-kun doesn't move. 

Her voice cracks. "I'd kill for you…! Anything you want me to do, I'll do…" She cries. "So, please, stay here with me." Her chin shakes. "If that's not possible—then, take me with you." 

Sasuke-kun turns. 

She looks up—and she's still crying. 

"You really are annoying." He says. 

And he starts to walk away. 

" _Don't_ go—!" She cries. "If you take one more step, I'll start screaming—" 

—He's behind her. 

"Sakura." And he tells her: "Thank you." 

—And, that's it. 


	3. phobia

Disclaimer : I do not own _Naruto_. 

  


There are things they don’t talk about. 

Things he won’t talk about—things she won’t bring up. His time with Orochimaru, his battle with Itachi, the months he spent with Obito, what he talked about with his brother, the years he spent as a nukenin… 

(“I know it seems like a lot—” 

Ino snorts. “—That’s because it _is_ a lot.”) 

And it is—but Sakura’s okay with that. Because she knows that there are boundaries—things Sasuke won’t talk about, even if she _does_ ask, so she doesn’t. There is a wall between them, sometimes, (and there are times when she would like to break it down—to shout at him because _why won’t you talk to me_ and _please talk to me_ and _why?_ ). But Sakura is okay with it; because that’s just Sasuke. 

—And there are things she doesn’t talk about, either. (Things she would talk about, if he asked, but he doesn’t, so she doesn’t talk.) The long months she spent crying after he left, the even longer months she spent training, and the longest months of all that she spent looking for him. The days almost gave up on him—and the one day she did. The times she absolutely _loved_ him—and the times she didn’t want to. The moments, even now, where she is scared of losing him. 

(But it’s okay—because he’s Sasuke and she’s Sakura, and she never expected this to be perfect, but she will do all she can with it. So, it’s alright.) 

—Expect on the one day it isn’t. When she’s looking through his charts, and realizes that he’s been going on S–ranked missions for _months_ now, but hasn’t told her. When the phobia of losing him is there and pressing down on her throat. 

And she realizes—it’s there even now. Sakura knows that she’s afraid to lose him, because she can feel him closing off—and she realizes that even though he’s _Sasuke_ , and there are some things he’ll _never_ talk about, even to her or Naruto, there are some things they _have_ to talk about, for them. Because Sakura can’t lose him to himself, or to the past, or to whatever is separating them. 

So, one day, when Sasuke comes home—from a mission he didn’t tell her he was on—she is sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him. And Sakura looks at him, knows, and says: “We have to talk.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of people like writing about Sasuke's feelings, but I think it's almost more interesting to write about Sakura, since she's usually portrayed in a negative light concerning her emotions, (especially about Sasuke).


	4. there was no warning

Disclaimer : I do not own _Naruto_. 

  


Sasuke has been close to death—it is not a boast or a complaint, but a fact. (Like how Naruto likes miso ramen with roasted pork, and how Sakura smells like cleanliness—like lemon hand soap and antiseptic.) He has almost died many times—has really died nearly as much—and has _seen_ death even more. More times than he would like to admit. 

—So, when the Amegakure–nukenin runs him through with a sword, through his ANBU armor, and the feeling of blood burns up his throat, it is a familiar sensation. (That is not supposed to sound brave or cowardly—it is the truth.) 

What _is_ surprising, though, is—as his vision turns cloudy and dark—the smell of Ichiraku ramen and lemon soap, the words _teme_ and _Sasuke-kun_ and _I love you,_ and the feeling of a brush of lips against his cheek as his life fades… 

  


—Hospitals are even more familiar than death. (Because hospitals mean that you _are_ alive; you are injured, but you are alive, and that is a good thing. It is better than death. That is not supposed to sound sensical or realistic—because it is just the truth, and only that.) 

Sasuke cannot feel much; there is an ache that reverberates through his ribcage, and pain that lances through his chest every time he breathes. Even that is a struggle—he thinks he must be wearing an oxygen mask, because he is sure that the sword drove through his lung, and his body would not be able to support itself on its own. 

What _is_ surprising, though, is when he feels hands on his cheeks. He smells it again—lemon hand soap and a tinge of antiseptic. He opens his eyes, because _who_ is there— _who_ is touching him, and he sees her. 

She is crying, again—her eyes are _very_ green, and she says the words he is surprised to hear: “You can’t leave me.” And she presses a kiss to his forehead, and her chin shakes. “I love you, you know, Sasuke-kun.” (That is supposed to mean what it means—it is Sakura, and that is all.) 

_Yes,_ he wants to say, as he drifts to sleep, (not _death_ ), _I know—you’ve told me before_. And he has heard it time and time again. 

—It is still no less surprising to hear. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! : )


End file.
